


Prohibition

by Geek_and_Nina



Series: Hope/Josie [11]
Category: Legacies (TV 2018)
Genre: Davina mention, F/F, Hosie, Kol mention, Speakeasy Tonight AU, roman mention
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-25
Updated: 2020-05-06
Packaged: 2021-02-28 23:00:48
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 13,063
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23305027
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Geek_and_Nina/pseuds/Geek_and_Nina
Summary: The year is 1928, the era of Prohibiton, the height of the Roaring 20s. Hope Mikaelson has been sent to live with family friend Uncle Ric Saltzman after being caught out drinking with a beau. Upon arrival she is given the 'temperance treatment', until she quickly finds herself beneath Alaric's appliance store at a speakeasy called The Ice Box. there she meets all kinds of strange and interesting people, including the lounge singer and Alaric's daughter, Josie.
Relationships: Hope Mikaelson/Josie Saltzman
Series: Hope/Josie [11]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1506473
Comments: 10
Kudos: 96





	1. Chapter 1

Hope clutched her bag tightly to her chest and stepped off her train into the busiest station she had ever seen. That didn’t mean much, given how she had only ever seen two in her life. People scurried to and fro all over the opulent building she found herself in. Hope pressed the hat her guardians, her Uncle Kol and Aunt Davina made her wear further onto her head. Anxious and excited nerves flooded her system as she wondered at what life in the bustling city of Mystic Falls might be like.

She would have wondered how her life got this way, but Hope knew the answer. It all started when she met Roman. He was the cause of all this and she was glad he was finally out of her life. Everything had been fine until he had knocked over one of Kol’s antique vases insisting that he sneak back into her house alongside her ‘to make sure she got in okay’. Her aunt had already hated how she bobbed her hair and that was the final straw.

Now, she was being sent to live with a family friend, having burnt through all of her actual family. She remembered him as being okay, stand up kind of guy. He was a good man, and Hope remembered the stories of how begrudgingly he and her father had grown to respect one another. Kol had said Alaric would send a car for her… his hardware store must have been doing rather well to foot such an expense. Hope imagined a stout, frumpy red-faced little old man waiting for her. She wound her way through the throngs of people milling about until she found her way outside.

Hope had never seen so many cars in her life. She looked over the nice ones parked nearby. The one that caught her eye most seemed to be the most expensive as well. A young man leaned against it, dressed just as expensively with a fedora, suit, and tie. Hope hoped that she didn’t look as doe-eyed and naive as she felt that she appeared. He was handsome in a dreamy-eyed and distant way. While she was distrustful, a car rushed by, casting the muddy water from the road up and onto her skirt.

“Watch yourself! I’m driving here!” the man in the car yelled back at her, completely unapologetic.

“Now then, do them there legs ever stop travelin’ up? That skirt doesn’t do anything for them, though.” Landon called out as he extended a middle finger towards the car that had splashed Hope, whipping off his hat and half-bowing from the waist. It seemed he had just finished rolling a cigarette and put it between his lips. As she watched him approach, she noticed her name on a sign propped up against the grill of the car. “So… you Hope Mikaelson?”

“Who’s asking?” Hope cut back, suddenly fighting back, and alarms ringing in the back of her head. 

“Landon. Landon Kirby. I will be escorting you tonight. Welcome to the grand city of Mystic Falls.” He introduced himself, tucking his hat beneath his arm and offering his hand to shake. Hope couldn’t help noticing that he had a nice smile and pretty eyes to go with the clothes.

“You’re quite the pretty one, you know. My momma always told me not to trust the pretty ones.” She smiled back at him, a charming kind of smirk reaching all of the ways up to her eyes.

“Have you always done everything your momma tells you to do?” Landon led her to the car and leaned back against it. She found the way his eyes continued to rake over her quite forward, but she didn’t mind it much either. That didn’t mean her natural Mikaelson sass was going to stand for the way Landon was acting and speaking to her with such obvious interest on his face.

“How might that be your business?” Hope asked all red lips and sparkling blue eyes. She knew her assets and how to play them to her advantage. 

“I know that it isn’t but can you blame me for my curiosity?” Landon opened the car door for her, closed it behind her, and leaned across.

Hope made a mental note that he was _really_ interested and _very_ pretty.

“That hair of yours tells me you don’t listen much to anyone.” Landon chuckled.

“I’m wondering if you are going to get my bags or not? I would also like to ask how fast you can get this thing to go?”

“Oooh. I would hate to be Ric Saltzman right now.”

\-----/////-----

Hope did her best to maintain a completely stoic expression as she took in the lay of the land and get the first glimpse of this city where she would be living. She didn’t want to come off as a total country bumpkin. Hope wasn’t a wide-eyed, naive, know nothing nobody. She just didn’t know the city yet. She was oddly excited to explore though. Hope always felt she was meant for big city living.

“So, is Uncle Alaric the same? I remember him as kind to me, but a bit of a by-the-book kind of fellow, if you catch my drift.” Hope questioned wanting to know what kind of life she was being sent into.

“Ric Saltzman is an upright citizen, as always. He is a straight edge, a fatherly mentor kind of man, and forever a patriarch. What is it that got you sent to my cozy little city?” Landon cut himself short, not wanting to say much about his boss. It was clear to Hope that he held a lot of respect for the man. She didn’t completely trust him quite yet but she had also promised herself that she would attempt to broaden her horizons while living there and enjoy her change of scenery. Hope pulled her hat off and tossed it into the back seat so she could feel the wind in her hair as they drove through the city.

“Like most problems in a young woman’s life, it all started with a haircut and a bad influence. My guardians were livid, my Uncle Kol had just begun to calm down, and Aunt Davina had only reverently started talking to me again. Then… Roman invited me to a dance _outside_ of the compound. Expressly forbidden, and of course, I said yes.” Hope shrugged, a small pensive smile on her face.

Landon burst into raucous laughter. The sound seemed to be foreign even to him, as though he hadn’t laughed in a long time. Hope felt her own curiosity beginning to bubble up.

“What can I say, when you are living in the middle of nowhere, you have to get your kicks where you can. There’s not much to do around those parts.” Hope shrugged. She remembered the fun she’d had and hoped to maybe find something along those lines here in Mystic Falls.

“Well, I hope you had yourself a good time,” he said in between chuckles.

“The boy was certainly a dud, but we all had fun in the end. It was all great until I got caught sneaking back in. There may have been some bourbon involved.” Hope shrugged, the smile fading as she remembered the anger she had been faced with.

“I doubt you will be finding your way into any of that particular kind of trouble so long as ol’ Ric is the one keeping an eye out for you.” Landon smirked and kept driving out of the city proper and through neighborhoods of the largest, most beautiful homes Hope had ever seen.

“My aunt and uncle suggested I wouldn’t even have any time to find trouble working the desk at the hardware store.” Hope spoke with slight disappointment.

“It could be worse. Your uncle is a truly good man, and I owe him a lot… and we’ve actually arrived already.” Landon stopped the car in front of one of the most opulent homes Hope had seen beyond her father’s when she was a teenage girl.

Quickly, Hope shoved her hat back onto her head as she stepped out of the car. The humongous house had to be at least three or four floors high. It was also clearly a historically significant home, even when looking in from the outside.

“Ms.Hope Mikaelson, you really do look like a true young lady now.” Alaric stepped out onto the porch steps and called out to her with an excited, nervous expression. There was a little more gray around his ears and in his beard, but he seemed like the same man she remembered. “From what Davina says, we are resuing you from the very grip of the devil himself.”

“It was just a dance, Uncle Ric.” Hope took note of the disappointment in his eyes and the change in his face when he noticed the hair beneath the hat cut short.

“Why would you do such a thing to your beautiful long hair?” he asked, seemingly flabbergasted. “What an absolute travesty. I will not allow any young person in my care to become some addled flapper wannabe. Come on inside”

Alaric took her by the arm and led her into the mansion. She was pretty sure she could see Landon smirking over her shoulder as he began to bring in her belongings.

“Welcome to the Salvatore House, formerly the Salvatore Boarding House, please have a seat.” Alaric sent Landon off with a gesture and began to start in on a lecture about the evils of all of the things Hope enjoyed most.

He continued speaking until he ran out of steam and time. He told her where to find her room and excused himself, heading to his office downtown Hope’s room was decorated as though for a much older woman. It was truly luxurious, though for a much older woman. It was truly luxurious though not all to her tastes. As far as she knew she was alone in the house and had noticed a movie theater only a few blocks up the road, showing a new Elizabeth Saltzman fic. First, of course, she had to change into something she was actually willing to be seen in.

Hope was not going to be held captive by anyone, much less Uncle Alaric, who wasn’t actually her uncle anyway. He had never explicitly said she wasn’t allowed to leave. She was going to support his daughter anyway. She was Hope Mikaelson, the eldest Mikaelson child, and she was not going to be controlled.

It had been a pretty good movie, and Lizzie was a brilliant actress. The plot left something to be desired and mermen had been an unexpected addition. Hope daydreamed out of the theater and onto the street, imagining that she was the one acting across from the beautiful blonde. Then she was knocked out of her reverie when someone rammed into her from behind. She went breathless as the ground went out from under her and a pair of surprisingly strong thin arms caught her and set her back up on her feet without letting her go quite yet.

“You know, it isn’t every day I am lucky enough to literally sweep beautiful women off of their feet. It’s usually me that’s getting swept.” a sultry feminine voice spoke quietly, close to her ear.

“I wouldn’t say you really did any sweeping. It was more like tripping.” Hope immediately snarked, turning in her arms, and feeling this oft swish of skin against skin.

“I will just have to do better the next time, my dear.” pale blue eyes met Hope’s brilliant blue-green ones… it took a solid heartstopping moment for Hope’s eyes to move from the smirk and gleaming white teeth to from the smirk and gleaming white teeth to realize who this woman reminded her of.

“Oh, stick a sock in it, pretty lady, modesty suits you about, as well as a leprechaun costume, would.” Hope chuckled but didn’t let back away either. She found herself completely taken aback, and almost speechless, unable to look away from her face.

“I must say that as enjoyable as this chance encounter has been, I will have to be on my way, though if you would like to meet up again, I’ll be _here_. I would love to continue this banter later on.” the young woman reached into her breast pocket and handed a card to Hope who continued to hang off of her every word. “My name is Lizzie by the way.”

When Hope got back to the Salvatore House, Alaric had yet to come back either, and at first, she wondered where he might be, though her mind was still too preoccupied to think on it for long. She read for a little while, then jumped up, excited to put on one of her nicest dresses and go out.


	2. Chapter 2

Hope handed the card Lizzie had given her to the cab driver. He nodded knowingly back. She didn’t like his expression much. She smiled broadly and allowed herself to gape openly at everything she saw. Mystic Falls seemed to completely change once night fell. The street lights were on, and the glitter came out across the sky. Hope could feel a strange kind of magic in the air. She could already tell it was going to be a good night.

When the cab came to a stop, Hope was shocked to find herself outside of Alaric Saltzman’s storefront, the last place she had expected. “Uhm, sir, are you completely certain you have brought me to the right place?” Hope asked nervously.

“I bring you where you tell me to bring you. Ain’t my fault the store is closed.” Something suggested he knew she was missing something. Hope paid him and stepped onto the street; wondering what she was meant to do. A couple seemed interested in the window display before stepping into the alley and disappearing right in front of her. She turned the corner to find a door set into the wall with a clear ‘no trespassing’ sign on the wall. Hope shrugged and stepped up to the door. It wasn’t as though she had anything left to lose.

Hope knocked somewhat half-heartedly and a peephole in the heavy metal door slid open to reveal a singular eye. She wasn’t sure if she ought to give some kind of a password she didn’t have or strike up a conversation until a hand came out. Hope nodded quickly and fumbled in her pocket to get the card where it needed to be.

“I was, uh, given a card and told to meet a particularly pretty dame at this spot. Goes by the name of Lizzie.” She heard a distant, muffled snort and the door was pushed open with a creak; revealing lights, music, and smoke. Red drapes prettied up the roughshod ceiling, as bronze filigree decorated the walls and backs of the chairs. Beautiful people in beautiful clothing danced around on the wooden pallet floor. Others watched from the round tables set closer to the bar. To Hope’s surprise, she had found herself inside of one of the most wonderful speakeasies she had ever seen… right beneath the teetotaler Alaric Saltzman’s nose. She wondered if he was truly thick enough to not realize what was going on.

Hope took a moment after entering to survey the crowd. A pair at a table in the back corner caught her attention. One pair of eyes were a warm brown and somehow still as cold as ice, and also completely unscrupulous. The other seemed tense and nervous, like a coiled spring, teetering on the edge of fight or flight, his eyes were black enough to be reflective. The cold man leveled her with a stare, snorted once, and muttered into his drink dismissively.

“Are we seriously still auditioning songbirds? The two we already got ain’t enough?” He asked just loudly enough for Hope to hear as she approached.

“I don’t… I mean that I’m not…” Hope shattered, forgetting how to speak. The tense, shorter man’s eyes weighed heavily on her before he offered an opinion. They didn’t give Hope a chance to find what she wanted to say. She gritted her teeth before she said something she regretted.

“You should ignore Raf. He thinks he’s a tall, dark, and handsome man of mystery. He has just been spending so much time brooding as of late, it’s turned him into a cold fish… and made him boring.” Hope took notice of the bouncy curls on his head and how they complimented his wide smile. He still buzzed with nervous energy.

“What about yourself, then?” Hope asked, somewhat lamely attempting to turn the tables. Surprisingly, she found her confidence returning and she proudly lifted her chin.

“Oh, I am everything you never knew you needed little lady… I am the guy who has credit at the bar.” he smiled again. “The name is Milton Greasley, but call me MG, never Milton. Now, where might you have come from… as you certainly aren’t from Mystic Falls.”

“I am a nobody, from nowhere, and that is all anyone needs to know about me,” Hope replied with a dismissive shrug and took a seat at the table, somehow made completely comfortable by this MG fellow. “My name is Hope.”

“No one who looks like you is nobody, Ms. Hope. Now, please, allow me to be the first to buy you a drink and commemorate your arrival to Somewhere.” MG’s grin was as charming at least as Lizzie’s had been and she saw no sign of ulterior motive in his face. “Hey, Kaleb! Some drinks, if you wouldn’t mind. For me and the lady.”

An equally handsome bartender walked through the crowd, bearing a wooden case of whiskey on his shoulder as though it didn’t weigh a thing. He had a broad, white smile; and glitter in his dark brown, almost black eyes.

“What do you need, Milton? I am working on a giant mess back there _and_ trying to keep the bar stocked.” Kaleb answered, clearly annoyed to have been bothered, though his smile didn’t once falter.

“What kind of a mess do you mean?” Hope asked, her eyes lighting up with curiosity. She wanted to know everything about everything.

“Oh, it’s all just business stuff, little miss. The day to day of running a place like this one. Product in. Product out. Profits and losses. Nothing you need to concern yourself with.” Kaleb chuckled, rolling his eyes, completely dismissive.

“It ain’t anything you picked up from that fancy book learning institute you do go on about, either. Just do your actual job and get us liquored up, would you?” MG snapped back at him, and Kaleb startled, dropping the folder of pages he was clenching beneath his free arm. The bigger man didn’t say a word in return or exhibit a change in his falsely exuberant expression. He only bent to pick up the papers. Feeling poorly, as though she had played a role in the accident, Hope helped to pick them up.

“Well, I can already see the issue here,” Hope pointed to a column of poorly scrawled, almost illegible numbers. “You guys just need a real ledger and better handwriting… just watch this here…”

Hope pulled a pencil out of Kaleb’s front pocket and briskly added the numbers up in tidy rows before handing the page back. All three of the men watched on in quiet amusement.

“I was made to endure a few years in a New Orleans finishing school for young ladies, meant to turn me into a trained monkey… I mean a secretary.” Hope suddenly felt the need to explain herself and her trick with the numbers.

“I have never had a problem with a good secretary.” MG joked, and it would have come off skeevy if not for his sweet expression.

“You don’t seem like any kind of secretary I ever met. What was it that landed you in this place?” Rafael finally spoke up, still watching the dancers and not sparing Hope a single glance.

“It is a rather funny story involving a stunningly beautiful and charming young woman and a picture show.” Hope felt warmth rise to her cheeks at the memory. “You would never believe but she looked just like _the_ Elizabeth Saltzman. Anyway, she gave me this card…” she placed it on the bar in front of her and the fellows all snorted into their drinks.

“What would you say if I told you that girl _was_ Elizabeth Saltzman? I’m sure you already know she prefers Lizzie around friends and family, and this is her father’s store we are beneath.” Kaleb asked, dark eyes seeming to warm to her a bit.

“You can’t be serious.” Hope gasped disbelievingly. She knew Lizzie was Alaric’s daughter, but they hadn't met since they were children. She doubted the other young woman remembered her, and certainly hadn’t recognized her outside of the theater. Hope always especially loved her movies because of the distant connection.

“She does a bit of clientele recruitment for the management whenever she ends up in town. I hadn’t realized she was back, but it never does hurt to keep our pond stocked. Now, how about that drink?” MG finished filling Hope in, leaning back and folding his arms across his chest. She had noticed a distinct change in his expression when Lizzie was brought up and wondered why.

“Something with bourbon if you wouldn’t mind. I got a taste for it while I was in New Orleans.” Hope requested with a tentative smile. “I can’t do with clear liquor.”

Kaleb, on the other hand, just seemed impressed before moving through the crowd as though he had been born to it. Hope wondered what he was in school for and hoped it had nothing to do with math. She also took note of how the eyes of many of the others scattered about the speakeasy tended to linger on him.

“Say, MG, would you happen to know who owns this place? My new guardian…” He didn’t appear to hear her, and Rafael certainly wasn’t replying as MG got up and crossed the room as though someone was waving him down and Kaleb dropped off her drink with a friendly smile.


	3. Chapter 3

Hope was feeling pretty good, surrounded by charming and unnaturally attractive company, her drink was strong, and she was having fun. Then the band started up.

Two women took the stage; the blonde had focused, serious eyes and the girl with the dark hair had concerned dark eyes with pouty lips. The girl at the piano began to lay and a sweet, soulful voice emerged from the other. They were amazing, the blonde had a gifted touch on the keys, then the rest of the band joined in… the singer was a real knockout, in a dress that suited her perfectly, just like her song. In the blink of an eye, half of the joint was on their feet.

“Those two are amazing! Do you know who they are?” Hope asked, immediately awestruck.

“The canary is Josette Saltzman, twin to Lizzie. She prefers Josie. Jade is on the piano. Just Jade, no last name.” Rafael answered as MG took his seat back, whatever business he’d had concluded. Hope wanted to hit the dance floor, so she grabbed MG’s hand to drag him along with her.

“Come along now, I’m known for my mean two-step.” Hope grinned, her grip on his wrist as tight as a vice.

“MG is not much of one for dancing, little miss. He doesn’t want the world to find out about his two left feet.” Rafael snarked. Hope gave him another look over. He was handsome, but also somehow empty as well.

“Are you offering to fill my slot then, Raf?” MG raised his eyebrow disbelievingly. “Her dance card is still empty.”

“Oh, um… no, I…” Rafael started and stuttered, suddenly taken aback. He hadn't expected his mockery to be turned back around on himself.

“Rafael doesn’t dance, either. He doesn’t want anyone to know how much he’s had, the boozy old boy.” MG leaned and whispered to her, before noticing something or someone across the room and sitting up ramrod straight, suddenly playing the part of the coiled spring once again.

Just as it seemed Hope was beginning to believe she would have to look elsewhere for a dance partner; Elizabeth Saltzman strode through the crowd, offering a wave to her sister as she stepped through the crowd, all eyes shifting to her. Hope wondered how one family could have so much talent.

Not long after she had filled her eyes with LIzzzie, Hope noticed Landon, her driver from earlier in the day, flanking Lizzie from behind and to the side of her.

“Landon?!” she exclaimed before she could stop herself.

“Do you know him?” MG asked, watching Hope’s face curiously.

She wasn’t given a chance to reply to MG or to ponder over the multitude of reasons or consequences behind Landon’s presence, because Lizzie Saltzman’s gaze was holding her own once more. There was a hypnotizing aspect of her gaze.

“Ah, I had been hoping to see if I could be allowed to sweep you off of your feet for real this time. Would you grant me a dance?” Lizzie asked, his smile charming and somewhat roguelike. Hope immediately downed the rest of her drink. Everyone who had been gathered around the movie star glared daggers at Hope as Lizzie took her hand and led her out to the dance floor. Jade saw Lizzie hit the floor and broke into a quick Charleston jazz tune. She swept Hope up and on a quick tour of the floor, their feet feeling as though they flew above the ground.

Hope could feel her heart attempting to beat plum out of her chest. This was what dancing had always been meant to feel like, though she was constantly distracted by the feel of all of the eyes on her. She was dancing with a film star, though, _the_ film star of this day and age. Elizabeth Saltzman deserved her full attention. She was good too, as smooth as she looked to be in the movies. The music and the dancing… it all felt perfect and truly elegant.

As Hope and Lizzie danced, now and again she would catch a glimpse of Landon Kirby, slumped against the table like a sad sack. His hair had flopped over into his face, hiding distant and dreamy eyes. She had to wonder if it had been him running the Ice Box speakeasy on the side. She wondered again if Alaric knew about any of this, or if he were more than he appeared to be at first glance. When Lizzie let her go, Landon had moved to the bar, talking to the other fellows, all sets of eyes on Hope.

Landon beckoned Lizzie over as well, and the group began to speak intensely with one another. Maybe Kaleb didn’t think much of Hope, but he seemed to hold begrudging respect for Lizzie at least. Hope didn’t like people talking about her without her knowledge and snuck closer as well in an attempt to eavesdrop.

“Of all of the girls in Mystic Falls you had to invite _her_?” Landon was hissing to Lizzie once Hope got closer.

“I think she’s pretty great, wouldn’t you say, floppy boy?” Lizzie asked. “There is so much spirit packed into such a small person.”

“She is drop-dead gorgeous. Whip-smart and beautiful, with a certain hint of danger. Dangerous in more than one manner.” Landon corrected her, trying to instill a sense of wariness into the blonde.

Hope struggled to stifle a smirk and a chuckle. She was enjoying finding out about what they all thought of her. She still didn’t understand why everyone seemed so nervous and jumpy.

“I don’t understand what you mean by all of that?” Lizzie asked, her tone lowering to a bit more serious and uncertain of a tone. She was not at all used to being left out of the loop on anything or being called out on ignorance.

“That _girl_ is your dad’s new ward. If ever you had paid any attention to the things that go on around here, you would have known to be aware of her arrival.” Landon spoke lowly beneath his breath. “He’s meant to be setting her _straight_. The ol’ temperance treatment.”

Hope wasn’t completely surprised by the line of conversation, though she still wondered how they all knew her Uncle Alaric. She had no idea of anything that might be going on anymore. Lizzie looked equally stunned, until glancing about the room and noticing how Hoe had been watching them all with such interest. Her expression changed completely right then, transforming into the same smile, the same false smile that didn't reach her eyes from the pictures in the papers.

Yet another gorgeous smile came up to Hope, this time attached to a young man. Hope shoved her continuing curiosity she was still burdened under to the back of her mind. She had come here to dance and dance she certainly must. Hope has swept away through the rest of Josie and Jade’s set. When her feet began to ache and she needed a breather, Hope focused on ignoring all the looks she was receiving to get a drink. Landon, Lizzie, Mg, Rafael, and Kaleb were all looking her way while pretending not to be watching.

Jade the pianist was now sitting across the bar in a corner, deep into a book, so Hope decided to go and find out what her deal was. As she crossed the room she wondered if there was some rule about a level of attractiveness required before being allowed into this place. Jade saw her approaching and placed a scrap of paper into the book to mark her spot, she offered Hope a wary smile.

“I felt the need to come and tell you that I have never heard anyone play quite like you before. Live jazz, played with such emotion I could feel it echoing inside of my chest. It makes me wish I knew more about music myself. I heard that you lead the band as well?” Hope inquired, seeming completely earnest in her question as well. She had already decided that she liked Jade’s smile a lot.

“They make it easy to lead them. For the most part, they are completely competent and all I have to do is make a setlist and queue them all in.” Jade shrugged bashfully, pleased by the praise. Hope introduced herself and shook Jade’s hand.

“I’m Jade. Just Jade, thanks.” the pianist specified and Hope found herself sitting with even more questions flying through her mind.

“What are you reading? Poetry?” Hope asked, and Jade blinked over at her and held Hope’s gaze with unreadable eyes. Hope had never met someone so willing to meet her eyes before. Every time Jade spoke to her, she looked right back into Hope’s face, almost as though Jade was looking through her. Then Jade began to read aloud. She kept her voice low so as not to disturb the others around them, but still rich and full as well. She was reading something by TS Eliot, magical, set in Elizabethan England with the dryads and nature.

“That was beautiful, Jade. It almost felt as though I was there and I could smell the Earth of the forests that have long gone.” Hope replied on the back of a particularly breathy exhale.

“Poetry has a lot of the same rhythm and flow of music. It reminds me a bit of the music I play. They take me to the same places.” Jade said in a wistful tone, looking as though she hadn’t quite come back from wherever the music had taken her.


	4. Chapter 4

“This has been nice and you make for pleasant company, but I have gotta get back now.” Jade shook her head to clear out the cobwebs.

“Could ya play my favorite for me?” Hope asked before Jade could walk away, catching her gently by the wrist. She whispered into Jade’s ear, then kissed her cheek quickly. The pianist grinned broadly.

“I can make that happen.” She replied, blushing a bit. “My favorite kind of tipper.” Jade winked and stepped back onto the stage, a veil of absolute confidence falling over her.

Hope smiled to herself and headed back to the bar; almost bumping into the singer from the first set, Josie Saltzman, Lizzie’s sister. Hope stopped short as the dark-haired twin tapped another woman on the shoulder. 

“Jade says it’s your turn up there, imma get a drink and stick around the bar for a while. You have some kind of a special request coming up.” Josie sent the young woman on her way.

“Watch yourself. We have still got a few sets to do tonight. The night is young yet.” the other girl stepped away to have a word with Jade before the band got settled and the set got started.

With that Josette turned and seemed to notice how Hope had been there the whole time, watching and listening.

“Hi there, I saw you out dancing on the floor during my set. It’s nice to meet the young woman causing such a stir in this place. You looked good out there.” Josie said, leaning casually against the bar, eyes appraising.

“Yeah, I tend to have this kind of effect. I can’t do much without drawing attention. I have given up trying.” Hope joked, unsure of this girl so far. “Let me buy that drink for you.”

“Thank you, could you tell me who it is I’m thanking?” Josie asked, enjoying the spunk of this newcomer.

“My name is Hope. Hope Mikaelson.” She introduced herself and Josie’s eyebrows shot up at the mention of her name, seeming to recognize her last name especially. Hope could tell something was going on she didn’t yet understand.

“And you’re Josette, Josie, Saltzman. Our families were close once upon a time.” Hope added, her tone of voice a bit more distant than it had been.

“Oh, right. So you know my twin, fraternal.” Josie had laughter in her eyes, taking a seat close to her by the bar.

“I have to say that your voice is fantastic, especially on those Annette Henshaw numbers,” Hope said, propping her chin upon her hand, elbow resting on the bar countertop. She was surprised to find herself just as starstruck by this twin as she had been by the other. Still, Josie felt more… real to her.

“Thank you, again. The lighter, more airy tunes are my specialty. I wouldn’t even say that I do _them_ justice yet. Now, up there’s you a real singer.” Josie nodded towards the stage as the girl she had been speaking to take a seat on top of Jade’s piano. It was the exact song Hope had requested.

“There is certainly some depth and some smoke in her voice, but I still like yours better.” Hope commented.

“Miss. Alyssa Chang. If she ain’t seen it, she has tried it… maybe a few times. She sounds so good because she channels all of those various experiences into her music.” Josie leaned a bit closer to whisper into Hope’s ear. The warmth of her breath on Hope’s skin sending shivers down her spine.

“So… what about you?” Hope asked, not even looking back at Alyssa.

“Not so fast, little Ms. Mikaelson. You are the new girl here. You’re going to have to give some before you get some.” Josie had yet to pull away from where she had leaned in closer to Hope before, her eyes still scanning Hope up and down. She was surprised to find how the whole story began to pour right out of her once more.

“So, it’s your first night out in Mystic Falls and somehow you have ended up here at The Ice Box. It’s good to have you here.” Josie said and Hope could see her glancing up over Hope’s shoulder to all of the guys still seated at the opposite end of the bar. “Of all of the places you could have ended up…”

“What do you mean of all the…What is going....?” Hope now found herself mildly alarmed, curious, _and confused_.

“Oh, no, we all just… you just have _it_ , Hope Mikaelson.” Josie leaned even further in, her mouth back against Hope’s ear. Her downcast eyes and her cocky smile were unmistakably flirtatious.

“You must have some of your depths hidden in there, don’t you?” Hope asked, turning her head so her cheek just barely brushed against Josie’s, and felt the other girl brace herself on Hope’s knee.

“Well,... there is the depth I can reach into with my singing, emotionally, and then there’s another kind. The kind that can be only reached with a lady friend.” Josie leaned back into her seat, crossing her legs with a shrug, and enjoying the way Hope blushed. “I would never intentionally embarrass you. I just thought I’d felt a vibe.”

“Oh, it is much harder to get to me than my cheeks would imply. You just surprised me is all.” Hope managed to regain her composure and to steel her expression.

“Would you consider it the good or bad kind of surprise?” Josie asked, somewhat nervously and Hope jumped at the opportunity to turn the tables.

Hope leaned in to fill the vacated space. She smiled coyly and looked up at Josie through long eyelashes.

“I was… the surprising kind of surprised, but it’s like you said, I’m also new to the big city… I could use someone to show me the ropes.”

Josie brushed Hope’s arm with the barest graze of her fingertips and the auburn-haired girl felt sprinkles and sparkles run up from her arm and down her spine.

“You shouldn’t dive too deep too quickly, you know.” Josie’s angular face seemed even more soft and warm in the light of the speakeasy.

Hope took an analyzing look around them once more, noticing how the fellas were trying to appear casual, but she felt their eyes on her with every move she made. Josie’s eyes never left Hope’s face, searching for something Hope couldn’t figure out.

“I should… I had better stay afloat for the time being or at least until I start to find my place around here because I feel as though… I might have one.” Hope spoke haltingly, regretting her answer preemptively, magnetically drawn to the singer somehow.

Josie sighed overdramatically, a twist of her lips showing her amusement. “I gotcha, dollface. Though, for now, I have ta get back on stage with Alyssa. Give me a round of applause when we’re through if you would.” She downed the last of her drink with a grimace. “Thank you for the drink, Miss. Hope Mikaelson.”

Hope’s eyes followed Josie the whole way to the stage… and she thoroughly enjoyed the view. Something told Hope the other girl was keeping a close eye on her as well, singing just to her.


	5. Chapter 5

“Okay, Landon, come on now. You owe me a dance after all that hell you gave me at the train station.” Hope leveled him with a challenging and playful glare. He looked somewhat guiltily down, swallowed hard, and shrugged.

“Whatever you say, Missy.” Landon offered his hand without truly looking at her and led Hope out to the floor. He wasn’t a terrible dancer and when Jade began to lead the band into a slower number, Landon pulled her close.

“How well do you think this is going to go over with Uncle Ric?” Landon asked in a low, rumbly, and deep tone so only Hope could hear him.

“A pretty smart man once told me that what he doesn't know won’t hurt ‘im.” Hope shrugged her answer off, she arched one eyebrow and Landon nodded noncommittally in return. One of Landon’s hands held them just a bit closer together.

Even once the band had finished their set, Hope wasn’t the first to pull away either. She swallowed roughly before peeling herself away to clap for the band. Every time she looked back as she made her way to an empty table that she turned around, Landon was still watching her.

Kaleb was in the middle of a lull at the bar when Hope sat down across from where he stood. “You wouldn’t happen to know where MG might have ended up?” Hope asked, shooting Kaleb a bright smile, and enjoying how his face lit up at the sight of her.

“He ended up getting called into work. Say, I’ve been watching ya, how did you learn all of those fancy dances out in your middle of nowhere hometown?” Kaleb replied and asked back in turn.

“From watching the movies over and over. My friends and I would all practice together with the old records. We got pretty good.” Hope shrugged in answer.

“I find myself inclined to agree. Are you ready for another drink?” Kaleb asked, pouring this one a bit lighter than the others. Hope smiled, glad to see someone was out keeping an eye for her.

“So, do you ever get a chance to get out on the dance floor yourself?” Hope asked.

“For the most part, I hang out here and let the interested parties come to me instead,” Kaleb answered with a soft chuckle, and Hope eyed him with a smirk as Landon rejoined them.

“So, what do you do to work out?” Hope asked unwittingly and turned a curious glance to Landon as he raised an eyebrow and chuckled.

“She meant for exercise, you absolute dunderhead,” Landon said hoarsely. Hope caught herself blushing once more under each of their heavy gazes. She could already tell Kaleb was a real gentleman and choked back what she was going to say. Hope didn’t want the bartender to think poorly of her.

While the two young men became distracted with talk of push-ups, sit-ups, weights, and other things Hope really didn’t give a rip about, Hope glanced around the speakeasy, trying to memorize it all for days when she needed the happy memories. She saw Rafael still at the same table, in the same seat, and nursing the same drink. All the ice had already melted. No longer able to resist her curiosity, Hope went to attempt a conversation with him.

“I have yet to see you dance, or tap your foot, or even move. I’m also pretty sure that if you were to squeeze that glass any harder it would shatter in your hand.” Hope pointed out as she took a seat across from him.

“Is there a point you are trying and failing to get at?” Rafael asked lowly.

“I’m not sure that I understand why you’re here,” Hope spoke drily. “You don’t dance, I wouldn’t call _that_ drinking. I don’t see the point.”

“I am _avoiding_ or _attempting_ to avoid drunk tomato women, like yourself. On rare occasions, it can be kind of fun. This isn’t one of them.” Rafael spoke with a shrug, taking a half-hearted sip of his drink.

“I know everyone needs a hobby, but I doubt _this_ is yours. There are places with less noise you could go, you know.” Hope suddenly felt more insightful and brave than she ever had before, or maybe it was just the alcohol in her system. “Maybe you _are_ all scarred up from the war, as MG said, but I don’t believe that all of your hurts on the outside.”

Dark eyes went wide, suddenly more ferocious than they had been cold. “You shouldn’t make mention of things you have no notion of. Now, get outta here.” Rafael seemed deadly serious, so Hope took her leave, content in the knowledge her words had hit home.


	6. Chapter 6

When Hope realized Lizzie was dance partnerless, she took the tall blonde by the hand and accompanied her to the dance floor as Jade kicked her band into another upbeat song. After another few turns about the room, the dance floor began to get crowded. Lizzie led Hope into a back room to a table where a group of people, all richly dressed, were playing cards. The pair watched the group finish a hand, and Hope couldn’t even count how much cash was in the pot.

A dark-skinned young woman with a full head of dark curls pulled the pot of money into her area. She smiled smugly at her competitors, then at Hope and Lizzie.

“I’m glad you introduced me to this crowd, Saltzman. These winnings ought to fund a week away somewhere warm… and you really _are_ a good friend, about to introduce me to this beautiful girl who will surely agree to accompany me.” the woman spoke, and Hope was shocked by how forward everyone she had met thus far was.

“This is a new friend of mine,” Lizzie began. Hope extended her hand to the woman who took it and kissed the back of her knuckles instead of shaking.

“Hope Mikaelson, this is Maya Machado. Maya, this is Hope.” Lizzie finally got to finish her sentence.

“MIss. Hope, as in the new ward of Alaric Saltzman, the owner of Uncle Ric’s Appliances?” Maya asked, quickly putting all of the pieces together.

“Erm,... I guess so.” Hope answered awkwardly. Everyone already seemed to know Uncle Ric when all she had ever known of him was as a frumpy old business owner.

“Even just the sight of you makes the joy of meeting you all mine,” Maya spoke as Hope pulled her hand away, completely thrown off her game.

“Maya Machado, here, is one of Mystic Falls’ leading entrepreneurs, along with her brother Ethan. They specialize in supplying our fair city with libations, all from their competing establishment only a few blocks down the street.” Lizzie explained and gave Hope a rather pointed look.

“So, you aren’t from around here either, then?” Hope asked and leveled her gaze at Maya once more, she was still somewhat unsure of how she felt about this rather shady woman. She was beautiful, but Maya gave off a very strange vibe, and Hope couldn’t quite figure it out.

“I came to be here by way of New York… and in all of my travels, I have never met any sight as fetching as the vision which now befalls me.” Maya spoke with a bewitching and lavish tongue.

“Why is it that everyone in this town has been looking at me as though I were the freshest piece of meat in the town?” Hope asked, her inner Mikaelson ferocity suddenly jumping out.

Lizzie and Maya’s eyes went immediately wide in surprise. Lizzie Saltzman, for one, seemed to be a bit proud of Hope, behind her obvious shock. The Mikaelson daughter seemed to be growing more irritated than amused by Maya’s continuous flirtations.

“I am only asking because you have been attempting to butter me up like I’m a biscuit.” Hope snapped again when Maya still had nothing to say in response.

“Ha! So there is a point to Team Mikaelson.” Lizzie laughed out loud, her expression firmly proud of her new friend now. She was somewhat infamous for her various one-liners and comebacks throughout her time in Mystic Falls. It was much harder to truly be herself when the cameras were all pointed her way.

“No one is keeping score, Lizzie. At least, Ms.Machado had better hope we aren’t. We have all only just met and she had already been knocked down a few rungs.” Hope chuckled, attempting to squash her irritation, and knocking her shoulder into Lizzie’s jovially.

“I have never been much of a sportswoman. I much prefer the cards.” Maya laughed back. She still didn’t seem to understand Hope was making fun of her.

“My, oh my, a gambling woman, running a speakeasy and an incorrigible flirt. Be still my beating heart.” Hope rolled her eyes and feigned a sudden swoon. She grimaced back towards Lizzie when Maya turned her head for a moment.

“I like this girl you’ve found, Lizzie. She’s a good one. She has some sharp wit about her.” Maya chuckled again.

“She is also right here and if you don’t back off, I will beat you off anyways with my broom.” Hope scolded, only the barest amount of false amusement still visible anywhere on her face.

“I think you underestimate the amount of charm I contain. It has never let me down before and I doubt it is going to start now.” Maya spoke smoothly but tensed as she saw someone approaching over Hope’s shoulder. Hope was beginning to grow quite tired of people who continued to look past her and not towards her.

“Do you have any extra brooms, Hope?” Landon asked, cracking his knuckles with a sneer. Hope could immediately tell that there was something she wasn’t privy to between the two of them.

“She is nothing but a hustler. We ought to sweep her on out of the Ice Box and into the back alley with the rats and the trash where she belongs. If she isn’t willing to go out on her own, the fellas and I can do it without the broom.”

“Now, now, you mop-headed oaf, there is no need for any…” Lizzie attempted to step in between the two.

“Everything is fine here, Elizabeth. The small, floppy boy, Ethan, and I have an understanding when we run into one another…” Maya began to explain. She took slow and even steps towards Landon. “He will attempt to say something rude and inevitably fail, I will do him the courtesy of pretending not to hear him instead of thrashing him in the manner he deserves. “I have saved his friends the cost of a funeral on more than one occasion.”

Hope found herself rather certain that Maya would have lunged across the room and attempted to kill him. They were surrounded by witnesses, though Hope would have been interested to see how the fight went down. The way Landon looked at her, she was certain he felt just as much animosity. “You should see him around Ethan. It’s ten times as bad with their competing alpha male egos.” Lizzie leaned in to whisper conspiratorially.

Maya pocketed her winnings from the table, and she sent yet another smile Hope’s way. Despite a multitude of misgivings, she found the smile to be quite effective. “I would hope for the opportunity to make your acquaintance again another day, Miss.Mikaelson.” Maya tipped her hat, took her to leave, and Hope still felt completely thrown.

Lizzie was still ready, able, and willing to accompany her on the dance floor once more. The rest of the night devolved into a whirl of bourbon, quick steps, and a diverse mix of beautiful people. Hope looked around as the partiers slowly began to trickle out and the band began to pack up. She wasn’t ready to go and sat down at the bar with Kaleb instead, keeping an eye out for Josie until she instead saw Landon approaching her once more. As amusing and mysterious as Hope found him, she was getting irritated with his turning up every thirty seconds. His dreamy eyes and lopsided smile hadn’t changed a bit from the first time she had met him earlier that day.

“I have procured a ride back to the Salvatore House if you would be so kind as to accept it,” he asked, his soft smile not quite reaching his sleepy eyes. “Getting yourself back into the house will be on you, though. I expect you would be used to such tasks, though. However, you can’t ever allow Ric to find out it was Lizzie brought you here, or all of our asses will be tossed into the frying pan along with her.” 

Hope felt her mind flooded with questions about her new guardian, the speakeasy, the twins, and Landon all flitting about inside of her head when the phone they kept beneath the bar began to ring. Kaleb emerged from the backroom to answer and hurriedly beckoned Hope and Landon over. Hope could feel the whole mood grow darker as the two men's expressions began to grow darker as well.

“Kaleb, I need to know what is going on. I do _not_ like the look of the face you are making.” Landon nervously twisted at his hands. It was the most genuine kind of emotion Hope had seen out of the young man thus far.

“It’s about Alaric. He was shot.” Kaleb slammed the phone down, his voice low, pained, and angry. They rushed to Landon’s car, which he luckily already had waiting, without a second thought for packing up or closing down. Landon drove quickly and silently. Hope was still reeling, unable to make herself ask the questions she had or do anything but worry and attempt to continue breathing. The most burgeoning of her questions was who might have called the bar, knowing they would get someone who knew Ric Saltzman personally. She thought it had to mean Alaric knew of the speakeasy.

She found herself surprised by how worried about him she truly was. Lizzie, Josie, and Jade had all beaten them there. They were speaking to a uniformed officer, expressions concerned and afraid. He turned, just as Hope and her friends entered MG looked good in blue, his usually bright smile completely tempered; his gaze anxiously flickering from Hope to Lizzie and Josie…. His gaze always lingering on Lizzie. Hope was pretty sure her system wouldn’t be able to handle any more surprises. Rafael emerged from the hospital room, his usually stoic expression even more morose than usual.

“I have just finished speaking with Alaric’s doctor. Barring any untoward complications, he should be just fine. It will take a while, but he will be okay.” Rafael explained and the group released a collective sigh of relief. 

Hope was comforted by the way everyone around them cared for Alaric. When permitted by the doctor; Landon, Kaleb, MG, and Raf went in to visit. Hope followed.

Alaric was not looking quite as well as Hope would have liked. When they all entered his room, he at least managed to sit up in the bed. He forced a smile to Hope when he noticed her.

“Oh, Hope. I am so sorry that this happened on your very first night here. I am glad to know that both of my girls are actually at home for once and can keep you company.” Ric said, his expression hardened, though there was still some light in his eyes. “I trust that Landon has been treating you well; keeping you safe and showing you where everything you need is.” Ric looked to the young man Hope was beginning to think wasn’t just a driver at all.

“I don’t want you to worry about me at all, Uncle Ric…” Hope was saying until Landon cut her off.

“Yeah, don’t worry. We are going to find and _handle_ whatever pieces of shit did this to you. Landon spoke low and seriously. Charlie chuckled to himself, his eyes nervous.

“Sit down and calm yourself, Landon. As of this time I am assuming this was a case of mistaken identity. If anything else comes to light...” Alaric trailed off with a wince.

“So, how are you feeling, old chap?” Hope asked sweetly as she sat down carefully on the edge of his bed so as not to hurt him, and took his hand. “There are two girls outside waiting on you to get better. They love you very much you know, and are worried sick about you.” 

“I am going to be just fine, little one. You can tell them _that_... and how I love them very much as well. Could you wait out there with them for a while? I need to have a word with the young men.” Ric’s expression turned deadly serious.

“You wouldn’t happen to be talking about the secret bar you have been running out of the space beneath the hardware story you… also, own?” Hope asked, propping one of her hands upon a hip as she stood up, and raised one eyebrow, turning back towards Alaric. She smiled a very Mikaelson smirk when Alaric’s face turned from pale to pallid. “This is all great! It is an awesome little place you have there. Your books are pretty screwy but that can be fixed…”

Hope spoke excitedly, her words flowing out of her before her mind ever got the chance to process them. She didn’t get the chance to finish speaking when Alaric interrupted her.

“Which of you… who the _hell_ allowed _Hope Mikaelson_ into my speakeasy?!?” Alaric roared, even though it pained him. Hope startled and all the others shifted on their feet.


	7. Chapter 7

Alaric’s glare was withering and directed right at Landon. Hope thought she would have melted beneath the heat of it if it had been her instead. “Do you have anything to say for yourself? I left you in charge of her.”

“Oh, I know that… uhm, it’s kind of hard to believe but, a coincidence…” Hope stumbled over her words awkwardly, unsure of whether or not she was in trouble.

“I am not feeling well enough to hear you tell me this whole story, Hope… just tell me how you ended up at the Box. Who told you about it? Who brought you there?” Alaric asked again.

“Funnily enough, there is a movie star involved in this story?” Hope offered almost sheepishly. Her smile faltered a bit under his heavy gaze. She was hoping Alaric wouldn’t get too angry with her. As much trouble as she usually was, Hope felt she ought to be more used to anger directed at her.

“I am sure I could already draw a fair conclusion as to what happened. My blonder daughter turned her blinding smile on you and you just couldn’t say no, am I right?” Alaric’s smile was annoyed, but equal amounts affectionate as well. He knew better than anyone how hard it was to refuse Elizabeth.

“It isn’t Lizzie’s fault. She has always been a drop-dead beautiful girl. Being beautiful is a part of being a star of the silver screen. Neither of us would want it any other way, and she certainly wouldn’t have either.” Hope argued and was very thrown off when Landon winked at her subtly.

“You can not blame Lizzie either. The two of them have not seen one another in years, and Hope is also an awful pretty dame. Lizzie and I have never been close, but I would have likely done the same.” Landon added his face suddenly perfectly even and neutral once more.

“You hush now. You aren’t helping anyone’s case here, especially your own.”

“Anyway, I gave the card I got from Lizzie to the cabbie who dropped me off in front of your store and I slowly figured out my way in. It’s a fantastic place there.” Hope explained.

“So, you just accidentally found your way there… while dressed like _that_?” Alaric still seemed quite skeptical. Hope winced.

“Well, I did make a stop by the house after running into Lizzie at the picture show… so I pulled a quick costume change… and then I went on from there…”

“I get it, I get it. Once you made your way beneath the store it was probably pretty easy to piece it all together from there. Too smart for your good you are.” Hope winced again, looking for an escape route she could find within the conversation.

“What is gonna happen now? You will have to be laid out here for a while, Raf says.” Hope asked, genuine concern on her face.

“For a couple of months at least,” Rafael added, having not moved or spoken or even seemed to have breathed after entering. He certainly did not seem to have even breathed after entering. He certainly wasn't on the verge of giving a monologue now either.

“I could always take the business over. I bring all of the merchandise in anyhow. I can sell it as well…” Landon trailed off and Hope felt even more of the missing pieces began to fall into place.

“No, my boy, any customers would as soon run from you as buy when they saw you in my office. Even MG would not be able to charm you out of the multitude of sticky situations you would inevitably make your fumbling way into… maybe we oughta just close up shop until I am back on my feet.” Alaric sighed heavily. He seemed frustrated and exasperated, not just with them, but the whole situation.

“With all of your due respect sir, we would lose all of our best customers to the Machados. Jade and the rest of the band… they love and they need their jobs. Even Josie wouldn’t be able to convince them to stay on with us… our whole staff…” Kaleb interjected.

“Yeah, I’ve got it. Yeah, you’re right… damn it.” Alaric muttered quietly, grinding his teeth and clenching his jaw.

Unbidden, Hope suddenly experienced an ongoing surge of word vomit before she was even done having the actual thought which accompanied it.

“I could do it. It should be me. I should be the one to run the speak.” Hope said, and everyone else in the room looked at her as though she was both Santa Claus _and_ the Easter bunny. She wasn’t about to wait for the others to argue with her. Hope immediately began to list all of the reasons she was perfect for the job.

“I am a trained secretary. I am extremely good with numbers and I ran Uncle Kol’s office at the old factory, plus I am a better-people-person than any of these folks, ‘cept maybe Lizzie...”

Hope trailed off when Alaric got a knowing and much more spry look in his eyes, as though he were sizing up some great business maneuver. “I have gotten away with more than anyone has ever actually caught me on. You need my devious streak more than you need any of my other skills. I know you haven’t forgotten who my father was and everything that he passed down to me. With all of those factors combined, I will for sure be a success in this business.”

Alaric took a beat and sat with her words for a moment. He thought carefully and Hope could almost see his mind churning. Everyone else stood perfectly still, completely dumbstruck that the idea was even up for consideration. Alaric looked over each of the faces, one after the other carefully, before taking a steadying breath and speaking.

“Okay then, Miss. Mikaelson, for now, you will be the official unofficial proprietor of Uncle Ric’s and everything that is kept hidden beneath it.” Hope smiled proudly and nodded her assent. “Kaleb and Landon will protect you and our assets. You have only one other mission as far as I am concerned, beyond stopping in to visit me and keep me company now and again.”

“You have to know the risks of this gig before you are ready to sign on… and maybe you are clever, too clever for your own good. Tough for a girl, too, but I need to know you will be able to take care of yourself. Rely on this group I have built around you already. They are all trustworthy… and as you can see, I am already trusting them all with my life.”

Hope would have promised him anything at that point. She was more than excited for this opportunity. “You have a deal, Uncle Ric. My life has been all about taking risks since I lost my parents. This is nothing new.”

“Everyone here is completely capable of handling themselves. Of that I am confident. They all have their quirks, of course. I am sure every one of them would be willing to lend you their guidance. My daughters included.” Alaric offered.

“I’ve got it. Thank you for this opportunity, Uncle Ric. I promise not to let you down. I am sure that with the twins and everyone else at my back, everything will go perfectly smoothly.” Hope spoke with complete confidence in her ability to continue and even improve the speakeasy.

“I am certain I know of a particular canary who would be more than willing to tell you all she knows as well.” Landon teased with another of his lopsided smiles.

“Josie probably knows all there is to know as well. She could tell me how to keep patrons happy, Kaleb knows the regulars all… way too well, I’m sure. You’re right. She would make a great mentor to you.” Hope took the advice seriously. She also wouldn’t mind the opportunity to get to know the lesser-known Saltzman twin better. Alaric chuckled, his smile almost proud.

“You have one hell of an eye for character, Hope. She is a fantastic choice…if I do say so myself.” he nodded evenly.

Hope found herself a bit surprised by the reaction and glad to have gotten some kind of validation from him.

“Josie isn’t just my daughter and our lounge singer. She is one of our main sources of information, an informant, and a full-fledged member of our Ice-Box team. I am sure she can teach you a lot more than just the running of this place.”

“Oh! Wow… that is quite impressive.” Hope smiled lightly. Landon feigned a cough poorly to cover his true expression as Kaleb jabbed him in the ribs with an elbow.

Hope had already thought Josie was pretty cool, but she now thought Josie might be the most badass person Hope had ever met. Hope was even more excited to work with the other young woman now.

“Quite right. I trust that you are going to be in excellent care during my absence.” Alaric nodded to himself, seemingly satisfied with all of the other arrangements.

“Excellent… now that the minutiae have all been tended to. Everyone needs to get _out_ and allow Mr.Saltzman to get some rest. He was shot for god’s sake. Quite picking his brain. Leave him alone.” Raphael began to shepherd everyone out of the room with a dour expression that bordered on anger. The group headed back out into the hall. Landon shot Kaleb a look.

“What Uncle Ric was saying, about us making sure Hope is taken care of…” Landon had begun to say something when Hope interrupted them at the sound of her name.

“What about me?” she cut him off, refusing to be spine about as though she weren’t in the same room as them. Kaleb could already tell where this conversation was going to lead and wanted to make sure Landon wasn’t about to get in some kind of deep trouble. He cut the other young man off with a shake of his head.

“Everything is going to be just fine.” Kaleb seemed to attempt to comfort them both. He spoke sternly and Landon seemed to respect his opinion enough to drop the matter. Hope desperately wondered what they had been about to say. Before she could ask anything, everyone else had caught up.


	8. Chapter 8

“Hope! Hope, hold on. I need to know what’s going on? When I went in he said not to worry about him and that I should come and talk to you.” Josie caught Hope by the elbow, desperation and worry plain in her warm brown eyes.

“Is the boss going to be alright?” Jade broke into a jog to catch up. She was still wearing her formal attire from the speakeasy. Hope wondered how she had gotten the news.

“He doesn’t look great, but now… ya know the old guy, he is too tough and too stubborn to stay down for long.” Landon scoffed and replied even though no one had asked him.

“The good doctor Rafael says he will be in tip-top shape after some weeks of care. We are probably going to be in Hope’s care for three or four months.” Kaleb added. He joined the group and patted Hope’s back comfortingly. Usually, Hope hated being touched by those she didn’t know, but from Kaleb, she didn’t mind it as much.

“There is no need for any more concern, though. Hope is going to make sure everything at the store and below it runs smoothly in Uncle Ric’s stead.” Landon offered what he hoped were words of comfort.

“The girl has a real gift with numbers, you know. She even caught a few of my errors. The business side of things has never been my preference.” Kaleb added again.

“Awh, you guys. We all know I won’t be able to do this on my own. Even Uncle Ric said I should ask one of you to hold my hand through all of this in the beginning.” Hope felt suddenly shy in front of the group. She had chosen Josie as her mentor before she had even asked the other girl if she was willing. It would be incredibly humiliating if she were flat out rejected at this point. “Josie, if you would be okay with it, maybe, I won’t know if you’re at all busy…”

“Me! You want me to help?! Oh, yeah, that could be quite funny.” Josie squeezed Hope’s shoulder excitedly, seemingly pleased. “I know all sorts of fun things the others have no idea about.” Hope barely caught sight of the adorable wink over her shoulder.

“Alright, come along then, and I’ll give you a lift home. If the two of us are going to be a team as we move forward; we ought to get to know one another better.” and Josie began to lead her away by the arm.

Hope knew that now should be the time to ask her never-ending multitude of questions as Josie loaded her into the car and pulled out of the hospital, but her mind was still a tumultuous storm as she attempted to piece together her day. So many huge secrets had been uncovered over the day and Hope was beginning to grow uncomfortable in her party dress. Josie reached across the car to where Hope’s hand was clenched into a fist and threaded her fingers between Hope’s and squeezed.


	9. Chapter 9

“I know all of this has been kind of a lot… I guess it’s been a hell of a day for you, huh?” Josie asked quietly and gently as Hope chuckled darkly beneath her breath, suddenly feeling exhausted and wired at the same time.

“I don’t know how I could have missed all this. I thought Alaric was all about prohibition, manners, and decorum. Uncle Kol and Aunt Davina thought so as well. Even Aunt Rebekah signed off on it. They all thought I was coming in for a tune-up. Then today, I find myself in _his_ speakeasy, there is a whole gang… and now I’m in _charge_ of this whole operation!” Hope sighed heavily and slumped back into her seat.

“Don't you worry your pretty little head. From what I have seen, you are ridiculously smart, and you have all of the rest of us to back you up. You will be ruling over the Ice Box like the queen of the place. I will do everything I can to help you. I know the ropes of the speak like the back of my hand and soon you will get the hang of it too.” 

Hope smiled her thanks at Josie. The taller girl was calm and confident in a manner that set Hope more at ease… despite the fury brimming just beneath Josie’s skin. “Any questions that you may have, feel free to ask me. There’s no need to be shy with me.”

“So, uhm… do you have any ideas who might have shot Ric? Would you say that this happens often?” Hope asked and Josie’s face went hard and her lips pressed tightly together.

“No, not all of the time, but now and then, yes. I have a few ideas as to the culprit, but nothing concrete” Josie nodded firmly to herself. “But don’t worry. Whoever this was and why ever he did this to my dad, they won’t be able to hide forever. We _wiill_ put him down.”

Hope startled suddenly but quietly at the amount of fury in Josie’s voice. It was becoming quite clear Josie had seen some hard things in her life. She might seem to be just like any of the other cute canaries singing anywhere else, but the inherent difference was evident in her eyes. Hope began to wonder if she was in over her head. The anger and concern on her face set Hope aback.

“He’s my dad and he does his best to be a good man. He isn’t always great at it, but he tries, and he didn’t deserve this.” Josie said, her hands tight around the steering wheel, as they pulled up in front of the Salvatore House.

“Thank you for the lift, Jo. Are you coming in? This _was_ technically your place first.” Hope asked, not wanting to leave the car… and Josie...yet.

“You are very welcome. Do you think you’ll be alright on your own? Lizzie is going to be staying in her apartment closer to town and I live in the apartment above the store and the Box.” Josie asked with another concerned expression.

“What do you mean by alright? Do you think that something could happen to me?” Hope asked, suddenly worried about her safety.

“No, but if it might prevent any loneliness that might be nice too? I could even stay overnight.” Josie offered her expression tender and caring.

Hope felt somewhat ridiculous for her reaction and she felt her heart warm at how much Josie honestly appeared to care about her even with all of the other stuff that was going on in her life.

“I uh, thank you for the offer, but the staff is here so I technically won’t be alone,” Hope replied because it was the right answer to give, even though it wasn’t necessarily what she wanted. Josie looked a bit disappointed, but she nodded her understanding.

“I will pick you up at around seven tomorrow night to take you on to work then,” Josie said with that same painfully earnest soft smile.

“That sounds good. I will be ready and waiting for you then.” Hope spoke tiredly, sure that she was exhausted in every manner a human being could be. 

She turned and watched as Josie drove away until the dark-haired girl turned the corner with a wave and vanished. Hope wondered as she went inside wondering what could happen next. She never would have expected she would be so grateful for Josie Saltzman.

The next night, as she had promised, Josie picked her up with a bright smile and a new dress to wear. This one was more business-like than sleek, but Hope didn’t mind it as much as she would have, given her new position.

“Once we’re in there, I will re-introduce you to the gang. This time I might even be convinced to tell you all of their _actual_ jobs.” Josie teased lightly. “You know when I first noticed you yesterday, before I even recognized you, I noticed what a fantastic dancer you are. You have grown up well, Hope Mikaelson, and I’m excited to work with you going forward.”

“You know what? You should join me for at least one turn around the dance floor. I am sure you members of the band don’t get out there all that often. It could be fun.” Hope offered, sliding out of the car and getting Josie’s door for her. The other girl took Hope’s arm and presented a united front as she accompanied the new boss into the Ice Box.

Every eye followed them through the speak and into the back room where Hope would have her new office setup. Jade and her band were setting up during the introductions, though Hope had figured out most everyone’s true occupations on her own. Hope put on her most charming and professional-looking face, then gave her best inspirational leader speech. Then, she set herself to righting the bar’s books.

It took much longer than Hope had expected. About two hours into the first of the three ledgers, Josie came back with a warm tea for herself and a stiff, neat bourbon for Hope.

“I’m on a break. Would you care to join me?” Josie asked as Hope blearily blinked up at her with sleepy eyes and a thank you. “I seem to remember you having offered me a dance?”

“That would be a most welcome distraction.” Hope agreed, perking up and draining the glass. She set it down with a solid clunk and stood, accepting the hand Josie offered her.

All of the fellas were in their usual places; laughing, sharing drinks, and each giving her a nod of encouragement when she passed them by and met their eyes. Josie, Hope found, was at least as good of a dancer as her sister in Hope’s opinion and better company as Jade played and Alyssa sang.

“So, you recognized me when I came in last night?” Hope asked teasingly as she held Josei close and led them about the floor.

“Of course I did. You’re Hope Mikaelson. Plus, I had the _worst_ crush on you those couple of weeks you stayed here when we were kids… I was so gone.” Josie chuckled as Hope spun her out and Hope pulled her back even closer. Josie couldn’t remember the last time she had this much fun dancing with someone. Usually, it felt much more like a chore.

“Oh, you had a crush on me?” Hope asked with a flirty look dancing in her green-blue eyes. Josie could feel the effects of that gaze deep inside of her chest.

“Again, of course, I did. Who wouldn’t?” Josie scoffed knowingly as the song ended.

“And how about now?” Hope asked, her hands burning hot on Josie’s hips, their bodies close, breath knowingly, and eyes locked together as they danced. Josie looped her arms around Hope’s neck and tilted her forehead to lean against Hope’s until the next song ended.


End file.
